In ancient Egypt, Peridot gemstones were called “gems of the sun,” referring to the golden glow that emanates from within. This glow imparts a rich yellowish-green hue — particularly appropriate for August birthdays and summer wear when the sun shines and crops near harvest. Now reach beyond birthstones to fashion where green has grown increasingly popular. It’s no wonder why Peridot gemstones enjoy such wide appeal.
Stay in the Shades
Most people associate Peridot gemstones with their lighter pistachio shades. These are beautiful and quite plentiful. Still, the finest Peridot has a darker more radiant green with a hint of gold. But until 1990, this shade had grown rare. It is in this lush hue that you see Peridot’s true splendor.
Peak Solution
So what happened in 1990? Imagine the inhospitable mountains of Pakistan near the Afghanistan border. Not exactly high on your vacation list? I thought so. Yet, there on a 13,120-foot pass, a huge gem-quality Peridot deposit was discovered. Fortunately for all of us, the quality of these Pakistan Peridot gemstones were the finest ever seen. With incomparable color and transparency, they took the market by storm. Better still, the deposit is large enough to sustain Peridot demand for a long time.
About that Green
Myanmar, China, Africa, Australia, and the USA all have Peridot deposits. Peridot gemstones from each region have a particular hue, depending on the amount of iron in the soil. Peridot from Myanmar has a vivid light green with fine inclusions, while American Peridot found in Arizona has a golden-brown hue. Peridot gemstones from Pakistan have very fine traces of iron, resulting in a rich, vibrant green color. You’ll find that shade in our Black Box Gemstones® collection.
Some Enchanted Evening
The Egyptians called Peridot “Evening Emerald.” They would know. Egypt is home to the most ancient Emerald and Peridot gemstone mines. But why Evening Emerald? Well, it was green like emerald and they believed its inner fire made it more visible at night — and that was when it was mined.
In Another Light
Peridot is one of the few gemstones that looks the same in different lights: sunlight, candlelight, and artificial.
Mistaken Identity
Circa 2000 BCE, the Egyptians first mined Peridot on a barren rocky island in the Red Sea. Today, we call it St. John’s Island, but millennia ago it was called Topazios. Other gems were mined on this island, too, and they were all called Topaz after the island. Only much later did Peridot receive its distinctive name, which is thought to originate from the Arabic word faridat, meaning “unique” or “precious gem.” Others believe it came from the Old French word, peritot.
Deep Down and Far Away
Fine Peridot gemstones form over millions of years deep within the earth — 20 to 55 miles deep — in the Earth’s upper mantle. Diamond is the only precious stone that forms deeper than that. Peridot only comes to the surface through volcanic eruption or tectonic force. So naturally, we find it near volcanoes and in mountainous regions where tectonic plates have clashed and risen.
There is another truly rare form of Peridot. It came to the earth in a meteorite traveling across vast reaches of the universe. Because these crystals are 4.5 billion years old, they have scientific value far beyond gems used in jewelry.
Tears of Fire
Volcanoes formed the Hawaiian Islands, and there are still two active volcanoes on Hawaii Island, the destination of most tourists. Ancient Hawaiian folklore associated the goddess Pele with fire, lightning, and, you guessed it — volcanoes. Ancient Hawaiians believed that Peridot was Pele’s hardened tears, a goddess’ generous gift to her beloved people.
If You Can’t Take the Heat . . .
Peridot has a very, very high melting point. How high? It can withstand the intense heat inside a volcano, not to mention the intense heart of the Earth’s mantle.
Crush it. Drink it.
To get close to nature, follow the regimen of the ancient Egyptian priests of Isis, the goddess of rebirth and rejuvenation. The priests crushed Peridot gemstones into a fine powder then brewed it to create a strong beverage. To enhance their unity with nature, they drank this prior to ceremonies. It doesn’t sound like a great idea to me. I just can’t imagine crushing the stones, let alone drinking them.
Bearing Gifts
The crusaders returned from their wars in Palestine with gifts of fine Peridot from Topazios. They believed these beautiful green stones were emeralds and many were donated to European churches as such. The 200-ct gems in Cologne Cathedral in Germany provide a key example. Much later they were discovered to be fine Peridot.
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